National Chapters
A National Chapter is a Chapter that is identified with an entire nation or sovereign people. A National Chapter can either decree itself to be the Chapter of an entire nation or it can be wholly accepted by the entire group to the point where other Adepts automatically associated the two together. A National Chapter will only accept as members those Adepts who hail from their patron country or group. While not every member of that nationality will be a member, most if not all of them will either be members or affiliates of the Chapter in question. One of the major charges against the National Chapters is that of Fascism - after all, just look at the satanic debacle that was the Thule Society and the Third Reich! Of course most proponents of the National Chapters point out that the Nazis were an extreme example - and that the majority of patriots who take pride in their country are not national supremacists (which is what fascism ultimately is). A central concept to the National Chapters is that of Republicanism - or, the idea of the 'Republic.' While political parties often label themselves republican, few truly live up to the name. The idea of a nation as a republic dates back to Grecan times and before, and it was often given religious connotations. The Romans often referred to the 'divinity of the republic,' of course what they meant by divinity is different than what we do today. The point is that the National Chapters will often view their nation as something more than a mere group membership. It's their tribe, their people, their heritage - those who join the National Chapters and are serious about it will often display a sense of honor in being part of a greater whole. Soldiers & Civilians: One problem that all National Chapters suffer from is the divide between soldiers and civilians. This divide is more than just vocational - the two groups often seem to come from different worlds and they can have strikingly different values despite possessing the same citizenship and heritage. This is important because the relationship between these two groups is vital for any National Chapter. Soldiers, because they frequently have the strongest passion for patriotism, tend to dominate any National Chapter meetings. Civilians can often feel off put by this, like they are being treated as second-class patriots, and this can quickly lead to tension between the two groups. The divide between soldiers and civilians is also important for another reason - the Meta Orders. The two largest Orders have an interplay between them that typifies this division in most National Chapters. Divinity of the Republic?: Many National Chapters continue, or have developed on their own, the ideology of the republic reminiscent of the ancient Roman Empire and other powerful civilizations. They view their nation-state with an almost religious sense of belonging and purpose, as if it is the handiwork of The Creator rather than just the social hubbub of mere humans. This thought process is endemic to National Chapters and has developed within most of them down through history. The National Chapters: America = Sons of Liberty Australia = Rainbow Serpent Brazil = Empire of Brazil Canada = Knights of Labour China = White Lotus Egypt = Children of the Nile England = Knights of the Round France = Priory of Sion Germany = Thule Society Greece = Filiki Eteria India = Mystical Nine Ireland = Fenian Brotherhood Israel = Elders of Zion Italy = Brotherhood of the Wolf Japan = Black Dragon Society Mexico = Society of the Serpent New Zealand = People of the Mist Oceania = Ring of Fire Poland = Eagles of the North Portugal = Ultramar Imperio Romania = Order of the Dragon Russia = Bogatyrs of the Red Star Scotland = Lords of the Congregation Spain = Camino de Santiago Category:Adept Society